Canada Invests in Energy Efficiency for Buildings in Ontario

News release

July 25, 2022 London, Ontario Natural Resources Canada

Improving energy efficiency in our communities is an important part of our toolkit to fight climate change. It will help us exceed our climate goals, lower emissions where people live and work, and provide opportunities for Canadians to be part of building a clean and prosperous future that leaves no one behind.

Today, Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced an investment of over $2 million to three organizations that are advancing energy efficiency in buildings in Ontario.

These projects include:

● Over $1.3 million to Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology, in London, to retrofit the Kestrel Court Student Residence, a 25-year-old complex, into a net zero-energy facility. Fanshawe College also contributed $1.25 million, bringing the combined project cost to more than $2.5 million.

● $365,000 to Indwell, in Woodstock, to support the construction of Blossom Park Apartments, a new, 34-unit, high-performing multi-unit residential building using the BuildSMART prefabricated envelope technology to help inform local and national net-zero energy codes. The Canada Green Building Council, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Oxford County and Passive House Canada also funded the project, bringing the total cost to more than $7.3 million.

● $350,000 to Enwave Energy Corporation, in Markham, to support the development of the Enwave Geothermal Community Energy System, which will supply low-carbon geothermal heating and cooling to 300 residential homes. The project also received financial support from City of Markham, Mattamy Homes and The Atmospheric Fund for a total project cost of $818,367.

Federal funding is being provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Infrastructure – Energy Efficient Buildings Program. This program supports improvements to the design, renovation and construction of our homes and buildings. The government is advancing the development and implementation of building codes for existing buildings and new net-zero-energy–ready buildings through research, development and demonstration projects in London and across the nation.

The Government of Canada is also developing a Green Buildings Strategy, which will create local jobs and help Canada move toward a resilient, net-zero emissions buildings sector by 2050. The Strategy will be focused on increasing the rate of building retrofits, ensuring buildings are resilient and net-zero ready from the start, and supporting systems change for the buildings sector of the future. Further engagement on the Strategy with partners such as provinces and territories, Indigenous governments and municipalities will take place before it is finalized in 2023.

Through efforts such as these, the federal government is creating sustainable jobs, building a clean energy future and charting a path toward net-zero emissions by 2050.

Quotes

“Reducing emissions from buildings is a key part of our efforts to combat climate change. Our government is pleased to support today’s investment in energy efficiency in Ontario, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower costs to residents and improve building resilience for folks in London, Woodstock and Markham. Congratulations to all of those involved.”

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Natural Resources

“Today our government announced support for research and development in the buildings sector. These investments will improve energy efficiency, help build more resilient communities and demonstrate Canadian leadership in addressing climate change.”

Peter Fragiskatos

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and
Member of Parliament for London North Centre

“Existing buildings play an important role in helping us achieve our ambitious climate goals. By retrofitting Fanshawe College’s 25-year-old Kestral Court Student Residence into a net-zero facility, our government is advancing energy efficiency for Londoners, and all Canadians.”

Arielle Kayabaga

Member of Parliament for London West

“Our government is proud to support the development of the Enwave Geothermal Community Energy System. This project will supply low-carbon geothermal heating and cooling to homes in Markham, ensuring our communities contribute to the development of a clean and prosperous future.”

Paul Chiang

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion and
Member of Parliament for Markham—Unionville

“The Kestrel Court project offers a unique opportunity to provide a transformative model to reduce carbon emissions from existing low-rise housing throughout Canada. Fanshawe aims to demonstrate the savings to homeowners, industry representatives, building officials, code authorities and policymakers of sustainable retrofit practices. Thanks to the support from Natural Resources Canada, this research will inform new, leading-edge programs at Fanshawe that will be the model across Canada.”

Alison Ewart, PhD

Dean of Fanshawe College’s Centre for Research and Innovation

“We’re thankful for Natural Resources Canada’s support for this project because it allowed us to fully embrace the learning curve of adopting high-efficiency energy performance standards. This funding helped cover energy monitoring and performance-related technologies, track the results of design decisions, and figure out where real-world results match up (or don’t) with the modelled assumptions. Not only have we lowered our tenants’ energy bills, we’ve also been able to permanently reduce our GHG emissions while creating beautiful places where people live and thrive.”

Graham Cubitt

Director of Projects and Development, Indwell

“We’re pleased to receive this very generous investment in our Geothermal Community Energy System, a system that creates a path for new-build single-family homes to achieve net zero. A development of this scale required partners who have the aspiration to do something different, and our partners — Mattamy Homes Canada, City of Markham, The Atmospheric Fund and Natural Resources Canada — all brought their support and expertise to this project. This system, which is now operational, is not only good for homeowners but also better for the planet. We are proud to bring our ambition, passion and expertise in designing, building and operating innovative and sustainable solutions to this project.”

Carlyle Coutinho

CEO, Enwave Energy Corporation

Quick facts

Buildings and homes contribute approximately 18 percent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Emissions Reductions Plan advances climate resiliency through the development of the $150-million Canada Green Buildings Strategy.
The $182-million Energy Efficient Buildings Program is a part of the $180-billion Investing in Canada Plan, supporting the reduction of buildings emissions nationally.

Associated links

Contacts

Natural Resources Canada
Media Relations
343-292-6100
media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Keean Nembhard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Natural Resources
613-323-7892
keean.nembhard@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca

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Date modified:: 2022-07-25